Bodysex is a transformative and undefinable experience for women, of all ages and sexual orientations, interested in the empowering freedom that comes from shedding the masks, roles and clothing that we hide behind everyday. The workshop is done in the nude yet it is non sexual. It is about raising consciousness, creating sisterhood, healing body shame and celebrating pleasure.

The next Bodysex Retreat Weekend will be March 3-5th 2017, held at a private retreat centre near Saskatoon SK. Canada. It’s the perfect place to relax, let go and just be. The retreat has a “slumber party” feel to it with healthy home made meals and snacks lovingly prepared by me and my assistant Patti throughout the weekend. Henna tattooing and hair braiding is also offered by local artist Stiina. During non workshop hours participants will be free to walk trails or the labyrinth, spend time alone or visit with the other women.

The two day workshop will include:

Sacred circle where, in first person, we share how we feel about our bodies and our orgasms. This is the time to let go of any shame that has been holding us back from fully celebrating our pleasure. Through this, the roots of sisterhood will begin forming as we accept each other for who are. No more and no less.

Group genital show and tell. This is a powerful ceremony where we display our vulva one at a time, identify all of the parts of our anatomy and recognize the beauty and diversity amongst us.

Self loving, side by side, in the circle during “erotic recess.” Sharing our own pleasure, without expectation, with other women is one of the most powerful experiences that you will ever have. This is about learning to be our own lover, healing body shame, overcoming sexual guilt and sharing in sisterhood. This is also an opportunity for me to help personally guide you, towards orgasm or increased pleasure if you have never orgasmed or are having difficulty and would like help.

Group massage. This ancient practice is almost impossible to describe in words. It is a transcendent experience where we are able to give and receive loving, non sexual touch from the other women in the circle.

(transportation from Saskatoon to the retreat location provided for out of town participants for a fee)

Dates: 1pm, March 3rd – 1pm, March 5th

Cost: $575 CDN for first time participants, $375 for returning. Included in this fee is the full Bodysex workshop, mystic wand vibrator, healthy meals(locally sourced and organic where possible) shared accommodation for 2 nights (there is a price reduction of $70 for women not wanting to use a vibrator or bringing their own)

My interview on the “Get Happy Now” show with Jennifer Sparks. This is the first of four podcasts in her “Sex Series” and it’s full of great sex questions! I was a guest speaker for a workshop that Jennifer organized and facilitated this past fall. She’s candid and a ton of fun to talk to!

Last weekend’s fall Bodysex retreat began with Patti and I greeting each of the women naked as they arrived, and asking them to undress. Having been a Bodysex participant myself – before becoming a facilitator – I understood very well the look of fear and nervousness on most of their faces. Arms crossed, eyes down and some holding back tears, the women made their way to the circle and sat down.

The circle begins with the sharing of our “honest “I’s” – stories and feelings that we carry about our bodies and our sexuality that are our own and no one else’s. I think of these stories as invisible layers that hang over us. Sometimes while sharing a story I realize that it isn’t even my own – and with this understanding I can choose whether I want it to stay with me – or to let it go in the circle. Whichever way I choose, it can mean one less layer of covering. As the women took their turns to speak, I was struck at first by the bravery it takes to share and secondly by the acceptance and love that was reflected back on the faces of each and every other woman in the circle.

With this shared acceptance, the women appeared to soften – relaxing their shoulders, melting a bit into their spot in the circle and allowing their legs to open and lay comfortably. In this particular group – for whatever reason – this process seemed to happen very quickly.

With relaxed bodies and true curiosity, we moved into what I consider to be the most intimate part of the workshop – the genital show and tell. Guiding each woman through her turn to look at, show, and finally name her vulva – we marvelled at the individual beauty, diversity and difference in colours.

As the sun was setting and our first day workshop hours over, I let the women know that they were now welcome to get dressed if they wanted to. In stark contrast to only 5 hours earlier when most seemed scared to be naked – no one was in a great rush to get their clothes back on. In fact some of the women hardly got dressed again for the rest of the weekend.

As we continued to bond and share into that first night and second day, acceptance of ourselves and each other became more and more apparent.

With this newfound acceptance, pleasure was celebrated in many ways:

Being cooked for, eating delicious meals together, being naked, orgasming, farting ( “OMG I orgasmed and a fart came out!”), belly laughing, walking the trails, energy treatments, gifts of essential oils, naked yoga, henna body art, laying under a quilt lovingly made by another sister, hair braiding, cheering our way through an old porn dvd, sharing more stories, holding space for tears when they fell, singing to each other, group massage and encouragement to “justgo for three!”

We were active participants in our own pleasure with masturbation circles happening during the second day, as part of the workshop, and spontaneously initiated by women at night by the fire. Some women chose to orgasm both inside and outside of the retreat centre – in rooms alone and rooms with others. Masturbation became so normal that no one even blinked an eye at the sound down the hallway of another woman cumming.

Betty Dodson, the grandmother of masturbation, the woman who created these circles and the one who trained me, says that “Body sex is about letting go of shame and celebrating pleasure.”

I haven’t finished my write up from this past weekend’s Bodysex retreat but a couple of testimonials have already come in. Here is one of them. I’m so happy for her!!!

“That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. All of those women made me feel so comfortable and every one of them are so real!!!! I need more sisters in my life to make me feel that way. I came home stripped naked and looked in the mirror and said “you are beautiful, you have beautiful curves.” Today and going forward I am gonna love myself and exercise and eat healthy and nourish my body and make love to myself……. And fucking orgasm. YES!!!!! Thank you for helping me find myself again.”

Justine (Stiina) was a participant of my first Bodysex Retreat and, while I didn’t really know her before that, it became apparent very quickly that she was an artist who truly enjoyed creating art on people’s bodies. As the weekend went on -and the rest of us got over our issues with accepting love and gifts from another – it was a common sight to see Justine (often naked) creating art on different women. Being on the receiving end of this I can’t express what a gift it was. I’m usually the one doing the mothering and having another woman braid and touch my hair or gently adorn my skin was wonderful and healing for me.

Justine registered again for my second retreat and after that I knew that I couldn’t imagine her not being there. I decided to offer her a permanent seat in the circle as my gift to the other women. Much like Patti, Justine brings something special to the weekend that I don’t – and I want the other women to be able to experience it.

Bodysex is a time for reflection, healing and celebration. By making it into a weekend retreat it also becomes a time to be mothered. Thank you SO much Justine for making our space more sacred through your loving touch and beautiful art. I can’t wait to share the circle with you again this Friday.